Collapsible drag



Sept. 22, 1936. w E Z 2,055,013

COLLAPSIBLE DRAG Filed Sept. 16, 1935 E. W.Loren (Ittorneg IVE The present inveni;ion relatesto draft-devices, ancl more parti cularly t o an .evensr ba.-i .and straft means used in conneqtion;-with harrows ancl drags, and has for an;-objecb fco provide an evener bar which;is oo1lapsible or-;retractable so thatit may be shortened*to pass through gates between trees, and othep pelatively narrow passages withou-t r equiring the: unoonpling ofi the harrows and. thecomplete separatio n andre: arrang&ment of-the parts.- jv I 7 v Another object of i;he invention.is topnovide a sirnp1ified ponstruotion of draft gear for harrows and the like embodying an evener bar which is made in sections connected together by links so that the sections may be overlapped one upon the other to reduce the length of the evener bar and at the same time to move the drags or harrows carried by the sections into overlapping relation so that the entire device may be adjusted 120 a reduced width for passage through narrow spaces.

The invention also emboclies an imprved.

' structure 015 evener bar made in pivotally counected sections which may freely follow undulations in the ground. surface 130 maintain the harrows or drags in proper contact With the ground at all times and throughout the width of the device.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention Will be more fully described hereinafter, and Will be more particularly pointed. out in the claim appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein 1ike symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the severa1 views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a. draft rigging constructed according to the present ihvention.

Figure 2 is a fr0nt elevation of the same, showing the sections of the evener bar collapsed to reduce the Wi-dth of the evener bar, the draft chain being shown suspended from the bar, a.nd

Figure 3 is a top p1an view of the draft equalizer having harrows o1 drags connected. thereto.

Referring now to the drawing, the evener bar, which may be constructed in any desired number of sections, is shown in the present instance as comprising three sections I0, II and I2. These sections may comprise solid wood material of suitable length to accommodate a. desired number of harrows I3 as shown in Figure 3. The middle section I0 is connected ab opposite ends to the side sections I I and I2 by links I4 which are disposed. in pairs and with the inner ends of- -the links pivotally seoured against the ;r rama gmd rearsides of the middlesection I0 by-piyot rods I5, an d thsouter ends of the links ares e= sured: againsip the front and re ar facss off the s'idje sections II and. I2 bypivot rods I6. The links I4. overlap I;he adjacent end. porifiioh-s oft he se(: tions- I0, II and I2- anti th e latteraire spacd. apar Ifahtheir adiacen-I: ends a distance Sufficient to ad.rnit thsswinging of the links aboutthe pivots I5 and.l I6, to bermit thesections I0, II. "und: I 2 to independsntly rise' a-ncl'ffa ll' asv ths evenen bar is drawncmer t;he groimd anal also permit the 'folding or colleipsi1igbf the Sid Sections I I and. I2 upwardly upon the end portions of the middle section I0 as shown in Figure 2. II: is desirable at times 110 rigidly interlock the sections I0, II and I2 in straight line relation, and for this purpose the links I4 are provided in their opposite end portions with openings I'I and the sections I0. II and I2 are provided with 'corresponding openings I8 disposed in longitudinal alignment with adjacent pivots I5 and I6 to receive locking pins I9 adapted be inserted through the openings I I and I8 when aligned to hold the links I4 from swinging on their pivots.

The pivot rods I5 are provided a1; opposite ends with hooks 20 and the forward hooks detachably engage short draft chains 2I while the real hooks 20 detachably engage a, central or middle harrow I3 as shown in Figure 3. The side sections II anal I2 of the evener bar each have a forward hook 22, and. the hooks 22 detachably engage main draft chains 23 which converge forwardly and are connected together upon a. hitch ring 24. The short chains 2I at their forward ends are secured to the main chains 23 a1; suitable polnts immediate the links of the respective chains so tha.t when the draft is applied to the rlng 24 the chains 2l and 23 will be drawn taut for transmitting the pull evenly so the sections I0, II and I2 of the evener bar.

Each side section, II and I2, is provided at its outer end with a rear hook 25, and the re.ar end of the pivot rod I6 013 each side section is provided with a rear hook 26. The hooks 25 am]. 26 of each side section detachably engage a side harrow or drag I3 as shown in Figure 3.

For the purpose of maintaining the draft chains 2I and 23 in proper position at all times and from becoming entangled during operation and adjustment of I;he evener bar, a spreader bar 21 may be employed anti which is p-rovided. ab each end with a transverse s1ot 28 proportioned 120 receive therein and in edgewise position an adjacent link cf the adjacent mein draft chain 23 so as to hold the spreader bar 21 from shifting on the draft chains, and to hold a. spreader bar across the short chains 21 as shown. This spreader bar 21 may of course be removed and is not necessary for all of the operations and adjustments of the device. When the evener bar is collapsed, as shown in Figure 2, the spreader bar 21 may be first removed.

In use, the evener bar is attached 130 the harrows I3 and the device dra.wn over the ground in the usual manner. The teeth of the harrows engage in the ground an-d if the ground is uneven the locking pins I9 may be removed so that the} sections I0, II and I2 may move independently on. the pivot rods I5 and I6 to follow the' uneven surface and maintain their respective drsgs I3 at all times in contact with the ground surf ace. A

When lt is desired so dra'g the device' through a, narrow space, such as between trees, ;through;

a fence o1 thelike and the narrow spaoe is otf lass width than that of 'the eveneibar the locking pins -I9 are removed from the sectionsandthe end sections II and I2 are swung upwardly on the links I4 onto more or1 e ss overlapping relation up on the middle section II), as shown in Figure 2 so that the length of theevener bar is reduced to a. more or less extent as shown by the fu11 and dotted 1ines of Figure 2. This adjustment of the evener bar also moves the side drags I3 into corresponding overlapping relation upon the middle drag I3 so that the entire device is reduced in width and may be freely drawn through a, narrow space. 'Ihe spreader bar 21 may be effectively used when the evener bar is extended but wherein the locking pins I9 are removed so that the side sections I I and I2 will not; readily buckle up over the middle section II).

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a drag evener constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly wel1 adapted ;for use by rea.son of the convenience and facllity with which it may be assernbled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modi- "ficiations without departing from I:he principles am]. spir1t thereof and for this reason I do not wish II; 130 be understood as limiting myself I:o the .Dlf6clse arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown inoarrying out; my invention In practlce except as claimed.

I claim;

A draitrigging for harrows and the 1ike compr ising an evener bar having a p1urality of endwise diSposed sek:tions links 1:iivoted to a.nd interconnecting seid sections and adapted I:o permlt; the relative rise and fa11 of the sections over undulations of -the ground surface, draft chains connected to the forward sides of said sections, a spreader bar connected across said chains for holding the same in position during the relative movements of said sections ofthe even-er bar, and independent harrow connections carried by said sections 01' the evener bar.

ERWIN W. LORENZ. 

